Continuous separator



iwalch 27, Q BULLEN CONTINUOUS SEPARATOR Filed Feb. 5, 1947 INVENTORARTHUR C BULLEN m his ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 27, 1951 c i UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 2,546,427 CONTINUOUS SEPARATOR Arthur C. Bullen, SanFrancisco, Calif.

Application February 5, 1947, Serial No. 726,685

' 4 Claims. 1 My invention relates to a separator; and one of theobjects of the invention is the provision of a truly continuousseparator in which the machine while operating at its designed speed,continuously receives materials to be separated, and continuously andautomatically ejects the separated parts of that material at differentpoints. Another object of the invention is the provision of a continuousseparator characterized by relatively low power requirements and highefiiciency. Still another object of the invention is the provision of acontinuous separator characterized by uniformity in the separation ofmaterials fed to it. Still another object is theprovision of acontinuous separator in which improved means are provid'ed', for washingmaterial passing through the machine.

The invention has other objects which will be explained in the followingdescription of that form of the invention which is illustrated in thedrawings. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited tothis single embodiment, but may be included in a plurality of forms asset forth in the claims.

In the following description, my separator will be described inconnection with the separation of molasses and sugar crystals frommassecuite, for which purpose it was especially developed, but it mayreadily be used for the separation of other solids and liquids with noalteration or but little. A principal characteristic of my inventionlies in the dual application of centrifugal force to a substantiallycylindrical perforated drum into one end of which materials to beseparated are fed. The drum is given a planetary rotation about a mainor planetary axis and simultaneously is rotated about its own axis whichlies at an angle to the planetary axis. The velocity of rotation of thedrum about each axis, therelative values of these velocities, and theangle between the two axes provide variables by which the performance ofthe machine may be altered to conform to requirements in the separationof specific materials.

It is a well known fact that the application of centrifugal force, byrapidly rotating a cylindrical drum, as is the case in the standardcentrifugal separators, forces the molasses out of the massecuiteleaving the sugar crystals dry, the molasses passing through the smallopenings in the sides of the drum. The crystals cannot pass through theopenings in the side of the drum and therefore are collected inside theseparator. In the case of the standard cylindrical drum, the centrifugalforce acts normally to the surface without any other component force,hence 2 the material to be worked must be injected while the separatoris nearly at rest, then rotated rapidly until separation has takenplace; and again brought to a near standstill in order to eject thecharge. This process is not only very wasteful of time in the operationof the separator, but has the enormous disadvantage of requiring a verylarge initial force to give the separator a rapid acceleration. Afterseparation is complete the separator has to be stopped quickly by theuse of a powerful brake. This last operation is wasteful of energy andgenerally deteriorating t the machine.

. In the case of a separator with a conical body wherein the componentof the ce'ntrifugalforce which acts parallel to the surface ofthe' coneis depended upon to move'the' sugar'crystals along the surface and outof the basket, this force is insufiicient tomove all of the sugar out ofthe basket, or it shears those crystals which are partially lodged inthe perforations; This results either in eventual plugging of theperfoi-j rations, necessitating stoppage for cleaning, or it produces adull final product due to the shearing I of the crystals, and anincreased crystal product in the molasses due to the small shearedcrystal parts passing through the cone perforations with the molasses orwash liquor.

With my invention, I use two or more cyline drical perforated drumsassembled in balanced order about and at an angle to the commonplanetary axis of rotation, instead of a single cylindrical orconicalbody as the usual practice is. Means are provided to rotate the bodiesabout their own axes, and at the same time about the common axis of allthe bodies. This dual revolution of the cylindrical drums sets at anangle to their commonaxisof rotation in my appara-; tus eliminates thedisadvantages and waste commonly experienced in other separators.

, The centrifugal force generated in my separator when in operation isdistinctly dual in character and effect. Bodily rotation of the drumsabout the main or planetary axis tendsto force the materials outwardlyfrom that axis; and of course rotation of each drum about its own axistends to force the materials outwardly from its axis. Thus these twoforces are constantly mod ifying each other, varying in a constantprogression between a minimum which is their difference and a maximumwhich is their sum. Since the axes of the drums lie at an angle to theplanetary axis, a component of the forces tends to move the materialthrough the drums to their ends farthest from the planetary axis. f Thusas massecuite is fed intothe machine it massecuite, the action as abovedescribed... will,

not be in articulated action, but will result in a continuous rolling ofthe massecuit'e down the inside of the drum following a" spiral: course;

Thus in my apparatus dual use of the centrifugal force is made: first,to-separate the materials and secondly to move the retained solidsautomatically' and continuously through the: separat- Another result ofmy arrangement of drums is to=--ke'ep=the cylinder perforations clean.When mass'ecuite is first deposited against the outer-- m'o'st" insideof the drum wall, the molasses is forced through thecwa'll perforations,the sugar crystalsabeing: retained inside; When the drum' has-turned180i on its axis, the centrifugal force f-r'omthe: common axis acts fromthe outside: to the :inside of the innermost side. of the: drum thusforcing any parti'cles" wedged in the perforations back into the drumand to the opposite side.

Another featureof myseparatorxis the continuousandefficientapplicatiomof. wash water to theasugari-crystals. In. the standard:separator the-fairly thickztwall of sugar crystals caught in the baskethas to be over washed on the inside layers in order'to' properly washthe under'or outside: layers; solving'of some of the sugar, andlossin'efiiciency. In" my separator the rolling action'of the sugarcrystals passing the washing zone presents each layerrof sugar to anequal wash, resulting. in a smaller amount of wash water required: and'amore even and uniform. washing of the sugar.

Stilluanother feature of my separator is the continual discharge of'thefinaldry sugar from the bottom of. thedrums, due to. their turningon their'own axes at'an' angle with their commonor planetary axis, thususing the main centrifugal force to cause the retained material totravel ina spiral course continuously 'down the drums to dischargefromtheir bottoms.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation partly in verticalsection, and showing the continuous-separator of my invention. Figure 2-is"-- a sectional 'view, the plane and conical surface which the'view istaken, being indicated by the line Z-Zof Figure 1. Figure 3 is anothersectional View taken in a plane and conical surface-indicated by theline 33 of Figure 1. Only oneof the eight separating drum is shown.

Mounted rigidly on a suitable fixed support such as 'is'provided by thestructural steel memhas '2 and 3, is a housing 4, in which a verticalshaft iournaledin suitable bearings "i. Keyed to thesh'aftis a pulley 8;connected by belts 9 to tile-pulley l2, fixed on the shaft [3 of themotor l4, which conveniently may be arranged on the supports 2'3;

Keyed to-the main shaft 6 are two spiders l6 and l'finwhich a'series ofseparating drums l8 are journaled in balanced relation about the mainshaft 6. At leasttwodrums are necessary for balance and inthe machineshown eight'are drums;

This results in the partial disused. Each drum comprises a cylindricalshell pierced by small radially extending holes I9. The shell is wideopen at the lower end, which is journaled in the lower spider I! by abearing 2| surrounding the shell. At the upper end the shell is providedwith a stub shaft 22 journaled in bearings 23 in the upper spider l6.

An axial passage 24 extends upinto the stub shaft past the-middle of thebearing; and a series of transverse passages 26 through the shaft nearthe end of the axial passage, connects it at all times with an arcuatechamber 21, formed in the bearing face" of the spider at the outer endof the radialpassage 28. At its inner end, the passage is continuedthrough the main shaft and into communication withthervertical feedpassage 29 provided bythe fixed feed tube 30 terminating at its upper"end in a funnel 3|. The feed tube is supported on a cap 32, fixed on thehousing over the end of the main shaft: and extends downw'ardly' throughthe-hollowedupper half of the mainshaft' to open immediately into theradial passages, so that materials feed int'o'th'eupper flared end ofthetube emerge from the lower end and are whirled directly into the radialpassages, with" no opportunity tobuild up on the inside face ofthe-shaft.

It' is to be especially n'oted'that'the rotational axes 33 of the drumsl8 lieatan angletothe rotational axis 34 of themainshaf-t'; Importantbenefits flow from this angular relationship of the two rotational axes;

Means are providedforrotating reach. of the Fixed 0n the; upper ofeach:- stub shaft isxa-beveli gear :36 in mesh. with; the central gear31 fixed on the hub-.38 of the -pulle'y"3'9"jour+ naled on the mainshaft in bearings 4 I. The pulley 39"lies immediately belowthe-pulleyfland'is driven by V-belts42'from .thelower end. of the motorpulley 12. The relative sizes of the pulleys andgears are of coursechosen to give the desired relative rotational speeds of the main shaftsand drums. These relationships may vary for the eflicient separation ofdifferent materials but chamber 48 is connected, by passage 51' in thespiderarm and main shaft, to the -axial pas-' sage 52 in the lower endofthe main shaft; and a fixed supply pipe 53 introduces water into themain shaft passage'through'a"suitable gland and packing connection 54.

My separator is designed so'that molasses is thrown off of the upperportion'of each drum, the sugar crystals washed and the-wash waterthrown off in themid portion, and the dry sugar crystals discharged fromthe 'open'bottomend. A cylindrical curb or housing 56 concentric withthe main shaft 6, and having a conical upper part 51, surrounds thelower part of the machine comprising the drums. An annular fin 58 isfixed on each drum at what may be considered the lower end of the zonefrom which the molasses A cone top 59 of the curb 6 l, spaced inside andconcentric with the outer curb. A third curb E2, concentric with theothers, is arranged with its upper edge just above the orbit circle ofthe high side of the drum. The curb catches the discharging sugarcrystals; and its insider vertical surface is swept by pitched blades63, carried on a spider 64, journaled on a bracket 66. A pulley 61 onthe hub of the spider is connected by belt 68 with a drive pulley onshaft 69; which in turn may be connected by belt 1| over suitablepulleys, to the motor shaft [3, or to an independent source of power.

Operation.The machine being brought up to speed, massecuite is fedcontinuously into the funnel 3| and feed tube 30, through which itreaches the openings of the passages 28, where it is seized bycentrifugal force and distributed equally through the connectingpassages and into the tops of the drums l8. That portion of each drumabove the fin separates the molasses from the massecuite, the formerbeing thrown through the perforations and against the outside curb 57from which it flows downwardly to be discharged from the machine throughthe annular passage 72. The fin 58 on the drum prevents creeping of themolasses down the outside of the drum wall. The algebraic sum of thecentrifugal forces resulting from planetary rotation of the separatingdrum about the main axis 34, and that resulting from the bodily rotationof the drum about its own inclined axis 33 tends to move ma terial inthe drum in a downward spiral progression roughly indicated by thearrows 13.

Wash water is fed into the drum from the 1101- low saddle 41 where it isthrown against the separated crystals moving downwardly therein. Thewash syrup passes through the perforations, and is thrown against thecurb 59-61, flowing downwardly and out of the machine through theannular space M. The lower part of the drums under the washing areaaround the spider 46, is the drying portion of the cylinder. The bearingcase of the bearing 2| acts as a baflle to prevent wash syrup fromcreeping down inside the curb 62 to mix with the dry sugar crystals nowworking down the lower part of the drum to be discharged over the loweredge and against the curb 62 from which adhering crystals are dislodgedby the blades 63.

Suitable means for separately collecting and disposing of thedischarging molasses, Wash syrup and sugar crystals are of courseprovided, but these form no part of my present invention and are notincluded in this description.

I claim:

1. A continuous separator comprising a shaft, means for rotating theshaft, a spider having passages therein and fixed on said shaft, stubshafts journaled in the spider at an angle with said first named shaftand having a passage therein in communication with the spider passages,a plurality of apertured drums axially aligned with and below the stubshafts and fixed thereon, the stub shaft passages opening into the upperends of the drums and the lower end of the drums being open, a passagein the first named shaft opening at its upper end and in communicationwith the spider passages at its lower end, and means for rotating thestub shafts.

2. A continuous separator comprising a central shaft, an upper and lowerspider fixed on the central shaft, a plurality of apertured drums, eachdrum having an open lower end journaled in the lower spider for rotationabout an axis inclined to the central shaft axis, a stub shaft extendingaxially from the upper end of each drum and journaled in the upperspider, said stub shaft having a passage opening into the drum, apassage in the central shaft, passages in the upper spider connectingthe central shaft passage with the passage in the stub shaft, anintermediate spider fixed on the central shaft and extending to arunning fit against the side of each drum, a chamber in the face of theintermediate spider against which the drum lies, a passage extendingfrom each chamber through the intermediate spider and into the centralshaft, a passage in the central shaft for supplying water to each of theintermediate spider passages, means for rotating the central shaft, andmeans for rotating the drums.

3. A continuous separator comprising a central shaft, means for rotatingthe shaft, a plurality of apertured drums journaled for rotation aboutan axis inclined to the shaft axis, means for rotating the drums abouttheir axes, a spider fixed on the central shaft and having chamberstherein opening against the sides of the drums, the edge of the spidersurrounding the chamber forming a running fit with the drums, a passageextending from the chamber through the spider and into the centralshaft, a passage in the central shaft in communication with the spiderpassage, means for introducing water into the shaft passage, and meansfor introducing materials to be separated into the drums at a pointabove said means for introducing water.

4;. A continuous separator comprising a shaft, means for rotating theshaft, a spider fixed on the shaft intermediate the ends thereof,passages in the spider, a plurality of apertured drums open at theirlower ends and having inlet passages at their upper ends directed downcentrally into each drum and in communication with said spider passages,said drums being mounted on said spider for rotation about an axisinclined to the shaft axis, means for rotating the drums about theiraxes, a passage in the shaft running from the top thereof down to andcommunicating with said spider passages, and means for introducinmaterial to be separated into the top of said shaft passage.

ARTHUR, C. BULLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 46,724 Stewart Mar. 7, 1865300,545 Wiegand June 17, 1884 1,012,794 Barker Dec. 26, 1911 1,591,821Heaton July 6, 1926 1,665,065 Malloy Apr. 3, 1928 2,061,340 Adams Nov.17, 1936 2,368,876 Puig y Terradas Feb. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 272,047 Great Britain June 9, 1927 6,270 Great Britain of1913

